The opposition to a handful of San Francisco Giants players for celebrating Pride Night last Friday escalated further. While MLB had already warned them for putting personalized writings on their official game-day caps, the U.S. Department of Justice has now taken note and opened an investigation into employee discrimination.

Giants players Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker wrote the Bible verse “Genesis 9:12-16” on their Pride Night caps during a game against the Chicago Cubs, which attracted warnings from MLB. But now it seems the MLB also got dragged into the controversy.

“The three players expressed their opposition to MLB’s pro-Pride orthodoxy,” the SF Chronicle quoted Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon as writing in a Thursday letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. “The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League’s vehicle for pro-Pride messages.”

Reportedly, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Giants received permission from MLB to don pride-themed jerseys and caps with the SF logo designed in rainbow colors on Friday to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. They also had waivers, which allowed any player to opt out and wear their regular cap.

Roupp, Brubaker, and Walker wrote Bible verses on their Pride-themed caps, citing opposition to the team’s annual LGBTQ+ celebration. Meanwhile, pitcher Sam Hentges opposed the move and continued with his regular official cap. Reportedly, choosing to leverage the waiver. The move raised eyebrows in the stands and even prompted San Francisco’s mayor, Daniel Lurie, to condemn the players’ actions. The Giants also offered an apology.

“The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community. Baseball should be a place where everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued,” the statement read. “We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations. We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community, and we are sorry for that.” MLB also came on board, warning the players for breaking the rule prohibiting players from putting any personalized message on the official uniform.

“Writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations, which provides in part that (a) Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment…” MLB stated.

However, the players’ actions also garnered support. “Trump won, we don’t have to do this anymore,” Vice President J.D. Vance said. “Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion,” Dhillon added.

MLB and the Giants may now have to face the DOJ regarding accusations of discrimination. However, apart from the Giants, a few more opposing moves were reported in the MLB and independent leagues.

MLB faced opposition from the Rangers and in the Atlantic League

The Texas Rangers declined to host a Pride Night on Friday. They remain the only team in MLB to have never had the event. “Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball. That means in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do — for both our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community,” the Rangers stated back in 2023.

On Friday, they hosted “Faith and Family Night.” Players shared their personal testimonies about how faith affected them on and off the field.

Down in the Atlantic League, the York Revolution forfeited their game on Pride Night after a few players refused to wear the rainbow-themed uniforms. “This decision was not reached lightly,” the Revolution said in a statement. “Unfortunately, several of our players have refused to wear the scheduled Pride Night jersey. The club decided that hosting the event is more important than forcing players to wear jerseys they are not comfortable with and playing the game.”

While these moves have not reportedly attracted any federal investigations, the Giants’ incident put the MLB in turmoil.